It is known that dewetting of metal layers on oxide surfaces is a problem even when the metal layers are heat treated at low temperatures. The metal layer should be stable when heat treated at high temperatures.
Copper has been studied as a metallization material for ultra large-scale integration (ULSI) because of its low electrical resistivity and good electromigration resistance. Copper films have been made by chemical vapor deposition, sputtering, and ion beam deposition. A disadvantage of copper, however, is that it is readily oxidized at low temperatures. Oxide formation degrades the electric properties of copper. In addition, copper has poor adhesion to oxide surfaces. Good adhesion between oxide surfaces and metal films is an important factor in achieving good mechanical, thermal, and electronic properties.
The art also has considered use of an intermediate layer between metal and oxide surfaces as a way to improve adhesion. However, the intermediate layer may cause increased electrical resistivity.
The trend in multilayer capacitors (“MLCCs”) is toward miniaturization, high capacitance, base metal technology and high volumetric efficiency. MLCCs typically are made by tape casting dispersions of submicron ceramic powders to form layers of dielectric and by screen-printing of submicron metal particulates to form electrodes. Although tape-casting can produce thicknesses as small as 0.8 μm, it is not clear that tape casting can produce layer thicknesses of less than 0.3 μm.
Although the art has produced metallic thin films which have thicknesses as small as 0.8 μm, a need exists for a method of manufacture of thin metal film conductors which have low resistivity at thicknesses of about 0.3 μm or less without the disadvantages of techniques such as sputtering.